Table of Contents
GB7WIN Crab Wood, Winchester
GB7WIN was commissioned on 23rd March 2025 by Alan G8IPG and Jason M0MZF as part of South West Hampshire Raynet's wider project to provide digital voice and data services to amateurs across the wider area and as a spiritual successor to GB7SOU. Thanks to Matt 2E0HKD for his continuing involvement in BPQ node configuration and to all the OARC packet community for helping us along the way.
Live network map https://nodes.ukpacketradio.network/packet-network-map.html?rfonly=1
Live traffic monitor at http://gb7win.ddns.net:50650
Get on WhatsPac :) http://whatspac.m0ahn.co.uk:88/
Location
Crab Wood, Winchester, IO91hb SU 45002 29687 51.064761 , -1.3591662 51°03′53″N , 001°21′33″W
Current and planned ports
| Port | Frequency | Antenna | NinoTNC Mode | ERP / Dev. | Status | Neighbors | WebSDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 144.9375MHz 12.5KHz FM | V Omni 3dBd 40mAGL | 0101 QPSK 3k6 IL2P+CRC | 14dBW 2.4KHz | active | GB7RDG GB7BSK GB7WOD GB7BDH | SUWS |
| 4 | 70.4875MHz 12.5KHz FM | V Omni 0dBd 7mAGL | - | - | planned | ||
| 6 | 50.650MHz 12.5KHz FM | V Omni 0dBd 40mAGL | 1011 QPSK 2k4 IL2P+CRC | 13dBW 2.4KHz | active | GB7BDH GB7RDG | Wessex |
| 7 | 432.650MHz 12.5KHz FM | V 180° 5dBd 7mAGL | 0011 C4SK 9k6 IL2P+CRC | - | licensed | GB7SOU? |
Coverage Maps
Simulations from radiomobileonline; Outstation antenna 12m AGL; Strong signal 15dBuV/m, Weak Signal 3dBuV/m, Path “reliability” 95%
| 2m plot, 4dBi antenna | 6m plot, 2.2dBi antenna |
|---|---|
 |  |
Technical
Hardware
- Modified Comet GP-15N @ ~40m AGL / ~200m ASL, 55m Andrews LDF7-50A, 14dBW ERP
- Raspberry Pi 5 / Raspberry Pi OS (Debian Bookworm) / 256GB NVMe SSD
- GPIO Relays for remote power switching, Dallas 1-wire temperature sensor for radio
- External 12V switched power & USB for future expansion
- 2m: Motorola GM380 (data in / flat audio out)
- 6m: Alinco DR-M06TH (modulator / discriminator tapped)
- 2x NinoTNC A4 v3.42 firmware
- CM108 on NinoTNC RX audio tap for 1k2 AX.25 decode (Direwolf 1.7)
LinBPQ
Version
G8BPQ AX25 Packet Switch System Version 6.0.24.69 March 2025 (G8BPQ beta)
Last updated
Fri 2025-04-25 06:44:12 BST
Global
;T3=540 ; L2 validation timer - increase from default 180 (3min) ;IDLETIME=2700 ; L2 idle link shutdown timer - increase from default 900 (15min) MINQUAL=50 ; Minimum quality to add nodes to the table L4COMPRESS=1 ; Enable compression on L4 links NODESINTERVAL=60 ; Broadcast / expect nodes every 60min OBSINIT=6 ; Initial OBS counter for an added node OBSMIN=4 ; Minimum OBS number to select broadcasted nodes L3TIMETOLIVE=25 ; L3 maximum hops count L4DELAY=10 ; L4 delayed ACK timer L4RETRIES=6 ; L4 retry count, default=3, increased to 6 L4TIMEOUT=120 ; L4 Timeout increased to 2min PACLEN=236 ; Max out NETROM frames
Routes
ROUTES: M0MZF-1,192,2 GB7WOD,192,2 ; Prioritise RDG on 6m GB7RDG,192,6 GB7RDG,191,2 ; Prioritise BDH on 6m GB7BDH,192,6 GB7BDH,191,2 ;GB7BSK,192,2 ;MB7NPW,192,6 ***
RF Ports
PORT PORTNUM=2 ID=144.9375MHz/Nino-0101/QPSK/3k6 M0LTEMapInfo=RF,144.9375,QPSK,3600,3600,Mixed TYPE=ASYNC PROTOCOL=KISS KISSOPTIONS=ACKMODE COMPORT=/dev/tnc-2m SPEED=57600 TXDELAY=100 ;msec, Seems OK for a relay-switched 857d TXTAIL=1 ;msec, Needed to prevent NinoTNC sending 30msec tail FRACK=7000 ;msec, Busy channel, 7sec ACK timeout PACLEN=236 ;bytes, 236 is max for a NETROM frame MAXFRAME=4 ;no., Default frames before ACK RESPTIME=600 ;msec, Delay time before L2 ACK (256*8)/3600=568 SLOTTIME=100 ;msec, Wait time before checking PERSIST again PERSIST=255 ;255/(# hidden stations on link - 1) but we can hear everyone DIGIFLAG=0 ;Don't digipeat (=1 all, =255 UI only) QUALITY=10 ;Nodes heard on this port get this quality MINQUAL=50 ;Therefore do not broadcast nodes heard on this port NODESPACLEN=160 ;Keep NODES broadcast shorter to help decode ; QUALADJUST=100 ; % by which to reduce quality if the best neighbor is on the same port, needs tuning NONORMALIZE=1 ;Disable node quality normalisation algorithm IGNOREUNLOCKEDROUTES=1 ;Locked routes only ENDPORT PORT PORTNUM=6 ID=50.650MHz/Nino-1011/BPSK/2k4 M0LTEMapInfo=RF,50.650,QPSK,2400,2400,Backbone TYPE=ASYNC PROTOCOL=KISS KISSOPTIONS=ACKMODE COMPORT=/dev/tnc-6m SPEED=57600 TXDELAY=180 ;msec, DR-M06 takes ~150msec to key up TXTAIL=1 ;msec, Needed to prevent NinoTNC sending 30msec tail FRACK=4000 ;msec, Needs tuning PACLEN=160 ;bytes, 236 is max for a NETROM frame MAXFRAME=4 ;Default no. frames before ACK RESPTIME=900 ;msec, Delay time before L2 ACK (256*8)/2400=853 SLOTTIME=100 ;msec, Wait time before checking PERSIST again PERSIST=255 ;255/(# hidden stations on link - 1) - but we can hear everyone DIGIFLAG=0 ;Don't digipeat (=1 all, =255 UI only) QUALITY=10 ;Nodes heard on this port get this quality MINQUAL=50 ;Therefore do not broadcast nodes heard on this port NODESPACLEN=160 ;Keep NODES broadcast shorter to help decode ; QUALADJUST=100 ; % by which to reduce quality if the best neighbor is on the same port, needs tuning NONORMALIZE=1 ;Disable node quality normalisation algorithm IGNOREUNLOCKEDROUTES=1 ;Locked routes only ENDPORT
The Great South East INP3 Experiment
Testing INP3 in the local area; GB7BDH, M1BFP, GB7BSK, MB7NPW, GB7RDG, GB7WIN
Maybe GB7WOD? GB7WOK? GB7BRK? G7BCS?
MAXRTT=90 seems a bit high?
MAXHOPS=5 is probably a minimum?
Plan is to document this “better” over on the OARC Wiki but for posterity…
From discussion on Discord:
- BPQ uses MAXRTT, round trip time
- BPQ sends full nodes table only when a neighbour first appears
- BPQ sends RTT probes every 4 minutes and accumulates RTT from these
- BPQ does not use obsolescence counter, just propagates routes if they change
- BPQ sends a node drop immediately
- BPQ intends to replace NODES broadcasts with INP3, so to peer to neighbour a route must be defined in ROUTES:
- XRouter requires a NODES broadcast to decide a peer is a router, then sends an L3RTT frame and if a response is heard then sends INP3 nodes at L4
- XRouter uses MAXTT (one way) instead of MAXRTT
- XRouter sends full nodes table at L4 10 minutes & when INP3 node appears
- XRouter constantly updates TT from RX'd packets, SMOOTHED TT
- XRouter sends L3RTT at L3 to neighbours every 5min to measure RTT
- XRouter uses the existing(?) OBSCNT to drop old routes
- XRouter resets OBSCNT after receiving a NODES table from neighbour
- XRouter sends a node drop immediately
LinBPQ
Version
G8BPQ AX25 Packet Switch System Version 6.0.24.69 March 2025 (G8BPQ beta)
Last updated
Mon 2025-04-121 22:16:14 BST
Global
;T3=540 ; L2 validation timer - increase from default 180 (3min) ;IDLETIME=2700 ; L2 idle link shutdown timer - increase from default 900 (15min) MINQUAL=50 ; Minimum quality to add nodes to the table L4COMPRESS=1 ; Enable compression on L4 links NODESINTERVAL=60 ; Broadcast / expect nodes every 60min OBSINIT=6 ; Initial OBS counter for an added node OBSMIN=4 ; Minimum OBS number to select broadcasted nodes L3TIMETOLIVE=25 ; L3 maximum hops count L4DELAY=10 ; L4 delayed ACK timer L4RETRIES=6 ; L4 retry count, default=3, increased to 6 L4TIMEOUT=120 ; L4 Timeout increased to 2min PACLEN=236 ; Max out NETROM frames
Routes
ROUTES: ; Locked routes (31 maximum) ; CALLSIGN,QUALITY,PORT[,MAXFRAME,FRACK,PACLEN,INP3Flag] GB7BDH,1,2,8,7000,236,1 ;Good to BDH on 2, intermittent on 6 GB7BDH,1,6,2,4000,160,1 ;Keep PACLEN lower on 6m GB7RDG,1,2,8,7000,236,1 ;Good to RDG on 2, intermittent on 6 GB7RDG,1,6,2,4000,160,1 ;Keep PACLEN lower on 6 GB7BSK,1,2,8,7000,236,1 ;Good-ish to BSK on 2 MB7NPW,1,2,8,4000,120,1 ;Intermittent to NPW on 2, PACLEN low, try it out? M0MZF-1,1,2,8,7000,236,1 ;Good paths to Sysops G8IPG-1,1,2,8,7000,236,1 ***
RF Ports
PORT PORTNUM=2 ID=144.9375MHz/Nino-0101/QPSK/3k6 M0LTEMapInfo=RF,144.9375,QPSK,3600,3600,Mixed TYPE=ASYNC PROTOCOL=KISS KISSOPTIONS=ACKMODE COMPORT=/dev/tnc-2m SPEED=57600 TXDELAY=100 ;msec, Seems OK for a relay-switched 857d TXTAIL=1 ;msec, Needed to prevent NinoTNC sending 30msec tail FRACK=7000 ;msec, Busy channel, 7sec ACK timeout PACLEN=236 ;bytes, 236 is max for a NETROM frame MAXFRAME=4 ;no., Default frames before ACK RESPTIME=600 ;msec, Delay time before L2 ACK (256*8)/3600=568 SLOTTIME=100 ;msec, Wait time before checking PERSIST again PERSIST=51 ;255/(# hidden stations on link - 1) but we can hear everyone DIGIFLAG=0 ;Don't digipeat (=1 all, =255 UI only) ;INP3 tunables IGNOREUNLOCKEDROUTES=0 ;Peer to all QUALITY=0 ;Disable quality based routing INP3ONLY=1 ;Enable INP3 Only MAXRTT=90 ;sec, Max RTT to add INP3 node MAXHOPS=5 ;num, Max distance to other INP3 node ENDPORT PORT PORTNUM=6 ID=50.650MHz/Nino-1011/BPSK/2k4 M0LTEMapInfo=RF,50.650,QPSK,2400,2400,Backbone TYPE=ASYNC PROTOCOL=KISS KISSOPTIONS=ACKMODE COMPORT=/dev/tnc-6m SPEED=57600 TXDELAY=180 ;msec, DR-M06 takes ~150msec to key up TXTAIL=1 ;msec, Needed to prevent NinoTNC sending 30msec tail FRACK=4000 ;msec, Needs tuning PACLEN=160 ;bytes, 236 is max for a NETROM frame MAXFRAME=4 ;Default no. frames before ACK RESPTIME=900 ;msec, Delay time before L2 ACK (256*8)/2400=853 SLOTTIME=100 ;msec, Wait time before checking PERSIST again PERSIST=255 ;255/(# hidden stations on link - 1) - but we can hear everyone DIGIFLAG=0 ;Don't digipeat (=1 all, =255 UI only) ;INP3 tunables IGNOREUNLOCKEDROUTES=0 ;Peer to all QUALITY=0 ;Disable quality based routing INP3ONLY=1 ;Enable INP3 Only MAXRTT=90 ;sec, Max RTT to add INP3 node MAXHOPS=5 ;num, Max distance to other INP3 node ENDPORT
Other FAC'd equipment on site
- MB7UUW APRS Digipeater, 144.800 MHz
- GB7CW DMR Repeater, South West Cluster, DVU48 439.600 MHz -9MHz, CC5, Slot 1 TG 9 Local, Slot 2 TG 950 Cluster